Flyweight contenders Adriano Moraes and Danny Kingad will go head-to-head for the second time when they meet at ONE 169: Atlanta on Friday, Nov. 8, at the State Farm Arena.
Moraes was the reigning ONE flyweight MMA champion when they first squared off in 2017, and he defended the divisional crown when he locked in a rear-naked choke submission in the first round.
“Mikinho” went on to send shockwaves through the MMA world when he knocked out legend-of-the-sport Demetrious Johnson for the first time in his career when they collided in 2021. However, the subsequent rematches didn’t go his way.
Moraes hasn’t made the walk down the aisle since his trilogy bout with “Mighty Mouse” at ONE Fight Night 10 in May 2023. The Brazilian has taken the time to recoup and improve so that he can chase the title he held for so long once again.
Kingad’s motivation will be slightly different. Having already suffered a loss to the former flyweight king, he will be out to prove he can still get the job done against the elite of the division.
Although the third-ranked contender has struggled to find consistency in his recent outings in ONE Championship, a win over Moraes would do a lot for him as he looks to become next in line to challenge Johnson’s reign.
The flyweight superstars battle joins a stacked lineup already set for ONE 169: Atlanta.
ONE 169: Atlanta airs live from the State Farm Arena on Friday, Nov. 9, and tickets are available via Ticketmaster.